Here is more evidence that fado is one of the great urban sounds, and Amalia herself, at her best, one of the finest singers this century has produced. No frills here, just enchantment backed by the equally classic duo of guitars, Portuguese (Jaime Santos) and six-stringed (Domingos Camarinha or Santos Moreira). Three cuts are in Spanish. The rest are pure Lisbon saudade.

With guitarist Andrew Neufeld still acting as Scott Wade’s replacement, Comeback Kid’s fourth album is another steady assault of screaming hardcore. Symptoms + Cures finds the Canadian punk-metal troupe focusing on brute force and hits the ground running in a quick, spirited rock-out session. The album is polished and pure, but a touch heavier than prior outings, with Neufeld’s raspy vocals howling like a turbine engine as the rest of the band (Hiebert, Hjelmberg, Keil, and Profetta) blaze furiously through 11 songs. Along with occasional gang yells, spit-filled vocal cameos include A Wilhelm Scream’s Nuno Pereira (“The Concept Stays”), Cancer Bats ’ Liam Cormier (“Balance”), and Architects’ Sam Carter (“Pull Back the Reins”). Even with the variety, the album doesn’t change gear or break stride: it’s continually harsh and urgent, with the occasional melody thrown in for good measure.